Magnetic hammer handle cap



E. H. soucY 3,425,468

MAGNETIC HAMMER HANDLE CAP Filed Sept. 15, 1967 Eugene H. Saucy IN VENTOR.

WWWFMM United States Patent M 3,425,468 MAGNETIC HAMMER HANDLE CAP Eugene H. Soucy, 56 Fairwood Farms Drive, West Hartford, Conn. 06107 Filed Sept. 13, 1967, Ser. No. 667,467 US. Cl. 145-30 Claims Int. Cl. B25d 1/00; B66c 1/04; 1325f 1/00 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to an attachment for the inner end of the handle of a hammer, more particularly, a rubber, plastic or an equivalent cap which capped over the inner end, is secured in place and embodies a rim which is equipped with a magnet capable of aptly picking up a. prescribed nail, such as is currently used, for nailing a dry wall panel on a frame structure, wall or similar foundation.

Briefly the invention comprises a conventional type hammer, more explicitly, a type which is commonly being used by hard wall applicators. In carrying out the principles of the invention the construction of the hammer itself is unaltered. It follows that the essence of the invention has to do with an attachment which is capable of being sleeved in position over the inner grippable end of the hammers handle. The cap is preferably screwed or otherwise properly secured in place. This cap is of one piece construction and embodies a skirt-like rim which fits snugly around the cooperating end portion of the handle and is provided on one side with a hole into which a simple disk-like permanent magnet is fitted and secured in place. This magnet may be said to be embedded in the rim in such a way that the outer or exposed face is flush with the exterior surface of the rim and the inner surface bears firmly against and contacts the handle.

Persons conversant with the art to which the invention relates are aware that it is not broadly new to provide the hand-grippable end of the handle with a magnet which is attached in a serviceable position in one manner or other. One prior art adaptation is the magnetic tool shown in Patent No. 3,228,720 to Jordan. In carrying out the principles of the present invention and seeking to solve the particular problem at hand the magnet is mounted on the side of the handle so that it is practical, as herein shown, to grasp the head of the hammer and to temporarily use it as a handgrip and to then use the handle itself as a lever, whereby to permit the user to pick up a nail, locate it and temporarily tack it in place so that it may be subsequently driven home by the head of the hammer in a customary manner.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective showing a fragmentary portion of a dry wall under construction and showing,

3,425,468 Patented Feb. 4, 1969 what is more significant, how the hammer with the nail holding attachment is intended to be used.

FIG. 2 is a view on a suitably enlarged scale which illustrates the component parts of the hammer and also the improved cap.

And FIG. 3 is an enlarged view in section and elevation taken approximately on the plane of the section line 33 of FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawing, it will be seen (FIG. 2) that the hammer, which may be said to be a conventional type of a tool, is denoted by numeral 4. The handgripping portion of the handle is denoted at 6 and the outer or forward tapered end portion of the shank is denoted at 8 and is fitted as is customary in the socket portion 10 of the head 12. The usual enlarged head portion of the over-all head is denoted at 14 and the blade 16 with its nail extracting or pulling notch is located laterally and to the left of the over-all handle as shown in FIG. 2. It is on the inner end portion 20 that the unique attachment 22 is mounted. This cap, as already suggested, may be made of moldable rubber, a suitable grade of commercial plastics and perhaps even an appropriate grade of metal. In any event the disk-like wall or end portion 24 abuts the end surface 26 and is secured thereto by a screw-threaded headed fastener 28. The rim portion 30 is sleeved over the end and is provided on one side with a suitable hole 32 which is adjacent to the end wall 24 and which serves to accommodatingly receive and retain a disk-like permanent magnet 34. The magnet is secured in place in any suitable manner and the outer surface is substantially flush with the surface 36 of the rim. The inner surface is denoted at 38 and bears firmly against the cooperating surface of the handle and is thus stabilized by its point of contact with the handle. It follows that the magnet thus plugged and retained in place is capably usable for picking up and starting the conventional nail N.

It will be evident that the hammer 4 with the attachment 22 thereon constitutes a highly improved tool which lends itself to feasible and acceptable use by a mechanic, for example, a dry wall applicator. Experience has shown that this magnet-equipped hammer can be aptly and satisfactorily used to pick up nails and to tack the nails in the wall in what is virtually regarded as one pick up and starting motion. After the nails have been tacked onto the wall the user turns the handlearound and drives the nails home in the wall in the customary manner. In this way he can drive a nail into the wall at any height relative to the ceiling without the use of a ladder or other climbing device. In addition it is a further advantage that the user is able to do this with one arm leaving the otherarm free to hold and position the dry wall panel. It follows, too, that the user of the hammer is thus enabled to speed up his work and to perform certain work where otherwise a job would require two men, that is, one man to hold the wall panel in place and the other man to hammer the nails into the wall while standing, as is often the case, on a ladder. It is evident therefore that this simple attachment greatly increases the utility of the hammer.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, is is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. For use when erecting and nailing dry wall panels, a hammer embodying a conventional-type handle provided on one end with a nailing and nail-pulling head,

an adapter cap having an end wall abutting and secured to the other end of said handle and an integral collar-like -rim portion fittingly sleeved over and snugly and retentively encircling the adjacent part of said other end, and a permanent magnet embedded in said rim portion, whereby to enable the user to magnetically pick up a loose nail and set and tack it in a temporary position to be struck and driven home with said nailing head.

2. The hammer defined in and according to claim 1, said wherein said head provides a handgrip for convenient use during the nail-tacking step and also wherein said magnet, being located on one side of the handle, is in a position to hold the nail in a position at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said handle, whereby the handle can be employed as a lever.

3. The hammer defined in and according to claim 2, and wherein said cap is of one piece form, said end wall being secured in place by a screw-threaded headed fastener.

4. A hammer defined in and according to claim 2, and

wherein said cap is of one piece form, said end wall being secured in place by a screw-threaded headed fastener, said cap being readily applicable and removable and made of moldable plastic material.

5. The hammer defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein said rim is provided with an opening, said magnet being lodged and retentively fitted into said opening and having a surface firmly residing against a coacting surface of said handle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,441,903 1/1923 Balaziuk 294-655 2,385,590 10/1945 Jacobson 294-655 3,228,720 1/1966 Jordan 14530.35

ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner.

R. V. PARKER, 112., Assistant Examiner. 

